Celadon Stars To Present ONE JOURNEY - MANY HEARTS For A Cross-Cultural Concert

In celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Celadon Stars-in collaboration with multiple non-profit music and performing arts organizations-will present the cross-cultural concert "One Journey - Many Hearts: The People and Traditions We Cherish" on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at 3:00 PM at Theater I of the Tribeca Performing Arts Center (199 Chambers St, New York, NY 10007).

Bringing together traditional music, opera, and dance from diverse cultural backgrounds, this concert uses the symbolism of the moon to highlight universal human emotions through timeless melodies and captivating performances.

The program features a repertoire blending traditional and contemporary works. Led by concertmaster Wenjie Xia, acclaimed pipa virtuosos Guoyun Zheng, Yubo Zhang, and Kexun Liu will join a combined Chinese and Western orchestra to perform classic masterpieces such as Moonlit River in Spring and The Moon on High. Renowned North American guzheng master Wei Sun will lead the Silk Road-inspired The Walker, while pipa soloist Jin Yang performs Thoughts of Flowers and Clouds accompanied by a Western chamber ensemble. Vince Di Mura, Resident Music Director and Composer at Princeton University's Lewis Center for the Arts, will introduce an innovative jazz piano and pipa dialogue titled Awakening from a Dream. Additionally, National Class-One vocalist Lingli Bai, accompanied by Xiaoran Liu on the xun (clay flute) and Mengxin Weng on the dadi (large bamboo flute), will perform the famous Burial of Flowers from Dream of the Red Chamber, while Peking Opera artist Yonghong Jia brings to life the timeless classic The Drunken Concubine. A special highlight includes Ren Chang Jiu by Jewish opera artist Jessica Bloch, composed by Quinn Gutman and arranged by Julian Gau, which weaves wartime family correspondence into traditional Jewish musical elements to tell a story of hope and familial love across borders.

Alongside professional artists, the orchestra brings together diverse talents from various fields who share a deep passion for traditional music. The Flying Strings Youth Ensemble will blend traditional instruments with the handpan to present Middle Eastern and Hui-inspired music, while dance ensembles from Princeton, NJ, and Woodhaven, NY, will showcase vitality through graceful choreography. The entire concert is led by Music Director and Conductor Julian Gau, founder of the Boston-based Horizon Ensemble, partnering with performing groups including the Boston Chinese Musicians Association, The Renaissance Opera Society, and the Morning Melody Dance Group.

Admission to this community event is free, though tickets are required for all attendees and donations are warmly welcomed.